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Isle Of Palms Police Put The Heat On With June Arrests

By Susan Hill Smith, Island Eye News Staff Writer

Everyone knows that warm weather brings more tourists and day-trippers to Isle of Palms, but it may attract more criminals, too.

At the end of May, a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban was stolen from an Ocean Boulevard resident, and two men were soon spotted in it off the island, on Clements Ferry Road, where someone snapped a close-up photo of the duo. Isle of Palms

Police worked with the media to share the photo of the suspects, and it paid off. “We put their faces on the news and got a lot of good trips,” said Capt. Jeffrey Swain.

On June 23, Dustin Carr, 32, was picked up and arrested in Berkeley County in connection with the case. He was still driving the Suburban, authorities said, and was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of stolen license plate. Carr’s listed address is Awendaw, Swain said, though he may have been staying in West Ashley more recently.

In an unrelated June 4 case, a 1 a.m. traffic stop by Isle of Palms police resulted in the arrests of four Charleston teenagers and recovery of a cache of goods reportedly stolen from as many as 16 vehicles in West Ashley earlier in the evening.

Police noticed the teens as they drove in the gated community of Wild Dunes without a pass and followed their sedan outside the gates, eventually pulling the vehicle over for equipment violations and the suspected smell of marijuana. Noting a pistol magazine in plain view, Officers Matthew Storen and Dylan Reynolds searched the car and not only found a pistol, but also wallets, purses, cell phones, tablets, laptops, wristwatches, GPS units and other items, altogether an estimated $2,000 to $3,000 worth of stuff.

“There was even a bugle in the car,” Swain said. “It was a nice one in the case.” While police haven’t yet determined bugle’s rightful owner, they don’t think it belongs to any of the suspects. “These guys weren’t bugle players.”

None of the recovered items were apparently stolen on Isle of Palms, Swain said, but police suspect the foursome was up to no good at the time they were pulled over. He encourages island residents to contact police about any potential problems. “If you see something suspicious, don’t hesitate to call us and let us come out and investigate it.”